March Mandala Challenge

In life we are faced with many confrontations, in this mandala project you literally stand your ground.

I’ve done this mandala project many times in the Great Round course where you trace your feet, draw concentric circles around them and add color, form, and sometimes journal writing. Working on this type of mandala, these questions come to mind:

“Where do I stand on a situation?”

“Do I need to take a stand?”

“What do I stand for?”

The idea to feature this project came to mind one day recently while driving home from a visit to court. A contractor failed to pay my husband for his beautiful hardwood flooring work. Although the case was rescheduled to the end of April, I sat in the courtroom to watch and learn about the process. There were some steps that the court clerk explained that we needed to do before we returned in two months.

Not even halfway home, I had my phone out doing the necessary research. I was feeling fired up, excited, and confident. Seeing how fair and calm the judge was, put me at ease. Watching how the process works and knowing what to expect also helped me to feel prepared to navigate this situation. I felt myself so empowered to stand by my husband and to stand up for what I know to be right. As I did my internet research, I felt my inner Athena, the goddess of civilization and justice come forth and my solar plexus chakra energized.

Pictured above is the “Standing on My Holy Ground” mandala that features a solar plexus chakra at the center. The solar plexus is all about knowing your worth, expecting only the very best, having clarity and confidence around a situation, setting healthy boundaries, and taking action. Wow! I truly have this chakra activated. Watch out!

To put empowering words to my feelings, I pulled out my deck of cards from the Virtues Project. Words, phrases, and affirmations fill the my feet and run along the rings emanating from where I stand.

I speak my truth with peaceful confidence.

I am worthy of respect.

I ask for what I need with simple, positive requests.

I rise to the challenge.

I stand up for what I believe is right.

Now It’s Your Turn to Take a Stand!

Create a “Standing on Your Holy Ground” Mandala

What You’ll Need

Piece of paper large enough to trace both of your feet.

You may need to tape a couple of pieces together. Use any color or type of paper.

Round objects of various sizes. (optional)

Large compass (optional)

Tack and string (9” or so) (optional)

Pencil and eraser

Your favorite coloring supplies

Notebook or journal

Step 1: Think about a confrontational situation in your life.

The situation may be something you need to take a stand on. Do you need to speak up for yourself? Maybe something happened in your past and you regret not standing up for yourself or a current situation that needs your attention. The situation may be about a personal relationship, professional in nature, or a political topic. It may be something you’ve been avoiding and it’s time to face it and take the next step. This project gives you the opportunity to explore where you stand and what’s important to you.

Step 2: Stand on the piece of paper and trace both of your feet.

Be sure to have some space between your feet.

You may be barefoot or wear shoes.

You may find it easier to sit in a chair and lean down to trace your feet or ask someone to trace them for you.

Step 3: Draw concentric circles starting between the foot tracings.

The circles can be any size. You can draw as many as you like.

There are many ways to draw the circles using a compass or tracing round objects.

You may even want to draw your circles freehand for an organic rather than geometric look. I love this method.

Another way to draw large circles is to tie a string to a pin that is placed at the center of the circle and tie the other end to your pencil. As you draw, be sure to keep the string taut.

Try not to be influenced by the samples that you see posted on this page. Follow your own intuition as to how you’ll add color and form to reflect how you are feeling. This is not a time to copy what you see.

Step 5: Observe your thoughts and feelings.

As you work on your mandala, notice your thoughts and feelings about the process of creating this mandala as well as the situation you thought of in Step 1. Record these observations in your notebook or journal. Consider journal writing along the concentric circles about your situation. Allow all of your feelings to spill out onto the page.

Step 6: Meditate on your finished mandala.

Spend some time looking at your mandala. Since you’ve been working so closely on it, prop it up and stand back to see how all of the details and colors come together. Try standing on the mandala placing your feet where you’ve traced them. Stand tall. What do you see? How do the lines around your feet look to you?What does it tell you?

Consider these questions:

Pull out a notebook or journal and reflect on your mandala art and mandala story.

What do the colors that you chose tell you about yourself and your standpoint?

Looking at the feet, what do the colors tell you as you compare them to the rest of the mandala? How would you describe them?

Solar Plexus Chakra Retreat

Working with your solar plexus chakra is a great way to gain clarity, boost your confidence, set clear boundaries, and take action.

Do you love getting fun mail?

When you sign up for the Solar Plexus Chakra Workshop, you’ll get a gorgeous envelope in the mail and tucked inside are various things we’ll use in the workshop. Here is a peek at some of what you get in the Solar Plexus Chakra Workshop envelope.

Last Call for Great Round Course 2019!

If you enjoyed the first three challenges for this year, you’ll love the Great Round Course. Over 100 mandala projects and twelve themes are part of the course. Note, this is the last sample project that will be featured this year. Although the course opened up on February, you can still sign up. Enrollment closes on March 31, 2019. I may not offer this course in 2020 depending on my travel schedule.

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Kathryn Costa is an artist, teacher, and author of "The Mandala Guidebook: How to Draw, Paint, and Color Expressive Mandala Art." Kathryn has taught thousands of people how to create mandalas in her popular YouTube videos, workshops, and book. Check out her new line of chakra stencils!